Turkish court sentences psychologist to 10,5 years in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

Ercan Eroğlu, an İstanbul psychologist, was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison over his alleged links to the Gülen movement on Thursday.

The reason for the conviction, İstanbul 29. High CriminalCourt said, Ercan Eroğlu’s alleged use of ByLock, a controversial mobile app that Turkish authorities claim to be the top communication tool among the alleged followers of the Gülen movement. Eroğlu used to work as a psychologist at İstanbul University’s Medical Faculty until he was arrested.

Meanwhile, a factory worker from Kayseri, identifies as M.C. was sentenced by Kayseri 4th High Criminal Court to 6 years plus 3 months in prison over his alleged links to the Gülen movement on on Thursday. The reason for the conviction has been reportedly his alleged use of ByLock, a controversial mobile app that Turkish authorities claim to be the top communication tool among Gülen movement supporters.

M.C. used to work as a factory worker at Kayseri Organized Industrial Zone before he was arrested. M.C. has reportedly admitted that he had downloaded the app on his cell phone but added that he has never used it in any way. M.C. was arrested on April 1, 2017.

Turkey survived a controversial military coup attempt on July 15, 2016that killed 249 people. Immediately after the putsch, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government along with Turkey’s autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pinned the blame on the Gülen movement.

Fethullah Gülen, who inspired the movement, strongly denied having any role in the failed coup and called for an international investigation into it, but President Erdoğan — calling the coup attempt “a gift from God” — and the government initiated a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement from within state institutions, dehumanizing its popular figures and putting them in custody.

Turkey has suspended or dismissed more than 150,000 judges, teachers, police and civil servants since July 15. Turkey’s Justice Ministry announced on July 13 that 50,510 people have been arrested and 169,013 have been the subject of legal proceedings on coup charges since the failed coup. (SCF with turkeypurge.com)